Quilt symposium features public events April 26 and 28

            Quilt scholars from around the world will gather at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's International Quilt Study Center and Museum on April 26-27 for the center's sixth biennial symposium, "Quilts in Context: The Making of Meaning."

            Several events in the symposium are open to the public.

            Linda Eaton, senior curator of textiles, Winterthur Museum, Winterhur, Del., will present a lecture, "Domesticating Quilts: Furnishings, Formalism and Folk Art," at 5:30 p.m. April 26. Thanks to generous support from the Byron and Sara Rhodes Dillow Excellence Fund, this lecture is free and open to the public. Eaton is the John L. and Marjorie P. McGraw director of collections and senior curator of textiles at the Winterthur Museum. She teaches early American culture in the Winterthur Program and art conservation at the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program.

            A  reception and informal fashion show featuring designs from UNL apparel design students will precede her lecture from  4:30-5:30 p.m. A book signing will also be held during the reception. Participating authors include: Lynne Bassett, "Homefront and Battlefield"; Don Beld, "Civil War Quilts"; Eaton, "Quilts in a Material World" and "Textiles in America"; Janet Finley, "Quilts in Everyday Life"; and Joan Severa, "My Likeness Taken" and "Dressed for the Photographer." Copies of these books will be available in the Museum Shop.

            Beld will lead a gallery talk of two current exhibitions, "U.S. Sanitary Commission Quilts Reproductions" and "Post 9/11 Memorial Quilts" at 2 p.m. April 28. Both exhibitions feature his work. His gallery talk is free with admission.

            The International Quilt Study Center and Museum, 1523 N. 33rd St., is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m and Sunday 1-4 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for students and children 5-18. Children 4 and under are free. Family rates are also available. UNL students, faculty and staff members are free with a valid N Card. Parking is available for free in the lot north of the museum. For more information, call 402-472-6459 or visit http://www.quiltstudy.org. The International Quilt Study Center is an academic program of the Department of Textiles, Clothing and Design in the UNL College of Education and Human Sciences.

Writer: Laura Chapman